🚗 **Rogue Trader Sold Cars with Fake MOTs!** 🚗
Carlton Richmond, a 39-year-old from Glyncoch, played a risky game by selling dodgy cars under a fake name! He snapped up vehicles cheaply at auctions and sold them on for double the price, but there’s a catch—they had FAILED their MOTs. 😱
Operating under the alias “Rob Builder,” Richmond sold cars on Facebook, complete with forged documents. He even used logos from local garages to trick buyers into thinking the cars had been serviced when they hadn’t. His operation ran smoothly until things started to unravel.
👎 **Caught in the Act:**
– Example A: Helen Wright bought a Toyota for £1,400, only to discover it was a smoky disaster in need of a new clutch.
– Example B: Jennifer Horgan shelled out £1,385 for a car with a bogus service history and a failed MOT.
Luckily, the law caught up with Richmond. Swansea Crown Court sentenced him to eight months in prison (suspended for two years), 20 days of rehabilitation, compensation payments to victims, and £10,000 in costs to the local authority. 💷
Judge Geraint Walters slammed Richmond’s “dishonest, calculated and sophisticated” schemes, calling him a true **rogue trader**. Richmond, remorseful and facing potential homelessness, probably wishes he could turn back the clock.
Keep your eyes peeled when buying second-hand cars, folks. Always check the vehicle history, and remember: if a deal seems too good to be true, it might just be a dodgy one! 🚦🔍